After synthesizing all of our research, we wrote out different “How Might We?” questions to identify issues in the app. We then organized these into categories to find the broader problem spaces to focus on, such as navigation or the parking layout feature.

With the list of design issues in hand, we prioritized them based on the insights gained from our user research. We brainstormed answers for these questions, some drawn from our competitive analysis, and discussed and voted to select the ideas that could most effectively solve user problems.

We took to the drawing board and threw some sketches together. We each brainstormed 2-4 sketches on our own and then reconvened to identify any overlapping ideas and discuss what direction and style we wanted the project to go in.

For each of our focus areas of the app, we all conducted usability testing and continued iterating until reaching the product's final forms. I'll be focusing on what I did in this section. I built off the original app's bare bones structure and designed an interactive parking facility layout. After I went through several iterations of wireframes and mid-fidelity prototypes and incorporated feedback from the team, I prepared some high-fidelity prototypes for A/B and usability testing.

Users expressed that the “Level 1” title was a button and tried to click it because we consistently used this pill shape throughout the rest of the app. We also noticed that most users didn’t try to click on the parking layout cards because there was nothing to indicate that it was clickable. To improve upon these areas, we turned the “Level 1” title into a button that allowed users to hop in between levels more quickly and added a magnifying glass icon in the bottom right corner of each card to indicate that they could zoom in to see the level more closely.

To find out what was more easily understood by our users, we conducted A/B testing. In our initial designs, we had used a muted red color to indicate an unavailable parking spot and an “R” symbol to indicate a parking spot with special restrictions. We changed the red parking spot icon color to a more vibrant and bold red, which more quickly identified as an occupied space. To help our users understand its actual meaning, we replaced the "R" with a star icon and added an explanation of what the star meant to clarify its meaning even further.

After opening the app, new users are prompted to create an account by entering their phone number, name, vehicle information, and preferred payment method. This serves to make all future parking experiences simpler, such as paying for parking and identifying where they last parked. Once finished or skipped, users can choose to learn how to use the app in 6 simple onboarding steps. Entering their payment information allows for future integration of an in-app parking ticket payment system. Users can easily make purchases and keep track of their payment history. Instead of first choosing from a list of all parking lots and garages compatible with JAPA, users can freely search for their destination. This new workflow and structure allows for easy scalability and gives more control to users. To further narrow the search, users can customize their preferences with the filter feature. Quick look serves to show users parking availability without having to click into a lot or garage for more information. List view serves to include users that may be short on time and want to see all the nearby lots at once. The parking facility information page has been broken down into more digestible parts, optimized for quick eye scanning. Users can see pricing, hours, parking availability, directions, contact information, travel time, and any key information. Once users have committed to a parking facility, the ability to check multiple levels is available. In the new parking layout, users can easily decide which level to park on based on the color coded parking spots. If a level is predominantly red, users can rule it out immediately. Alerts users that they cannot use their phone while driving and all functions will be disabled until they've reached a stop. This will ensure that drivers avoid unsafe driving unless there is a passenger in the vehicle. Users can save their frequented lots/garages to check parking availability quickly without having to search for the location. They can also delete any locations they no longer visit.

This was my first time working with other designers as well as the CTO! It was really exciting for me because, I'll be honest, collaborating with people I don't already know is a challenge for me. It takes some time for me to get comfortable and be vulnerable sharing ideas and giving critiques. Even though it was challenging at first, it was so rewarding for me. I loved seeing our team dynamic evolve as time went on and getting more comfortable with each other. Working closely with JAPA's CTO was also a new and exciting experience! I've never had to present my work for non-designers and throughout this process, I learned how to present my designs in a way that was understandable to someone who wasn't directly involved in the process and support my design decisions with evidence. Just like everyone else, this was my first time collaborating remotely. There's definitely something about physically working around other people that I miss, but this constraint offered a unique opportunity to learn how to work efficiently and effectively without the proper resources/materials. I learned how to conduct usability testing and interviews through Zoom (which is actually not as terrible as you'd think). I realized how important it is to document everything you're doing and explain concepts clearly to the users you're working with. Like I mentioned, usability testing is the fun part and honestly, it really was. I loved iterating on the feedback users gave and I learned how important it is to always advocate for the end-user. It was humbling because I was reminded that my assumptions are definitely not always right and I'm not designing for myself, but for others.